SonicIllusions
New Head-Fier
Hey all. I found this thread while curious about the DACs used in the S8+. I never imagined considering a cell-phone as a good audio source, but the S8 isn't your average 'phone'. I'm an audioholic by nature. The S8+ is impressive and I want to exploit it's capabilities.
I've built several mostly high-end home audio speaker systems. When I do serious listening, it's only my main reference speakers (MTM/SUB) in my 18x25 media room, which has acoustic wall treatment. The speakers are tuned with EQ to the room and the result is very close to the artist's intention of presentation. That, which includes great imaging and flat response from sub-sonic to well beyond the upper limits, is my goal with dynamic speakers. Although headphones have perfect channel separation with wide response, are immune to environmental reflections and aren't affected by room boundaries, reflections, standing waves, etc...they have totally unrealistic imaging....Does the artist intend for the 'image' to be in the center of my head? No, but l do find it rewarding to listen to well recorded audio on great headphones with source headroom to spare as far as sampling/ bit rate goes.
I need some clarification or confirmation regarding source material and DAC regarding the S8. I do understand DAC. Basically, the digital (D) signal is converted (C) to Analog (A) so we can understand it and it can be amplified. The catch is, the end result can be no better than the source, regardless of format. We know there's lots of 'junk' out there. When I search for MP3s online, I try to find the highest bit-rate available. When I convert my digital audio to MP3, I choose the highest rates and don't care about file size.
My questions:
I understand Samsung purchased harmon/kardon and H-K technology is used in the S8, from what the salesman told me. Is this true? What I also can't seem to find an answer to is this: For those of us who are curious, can the S8 be configured for digital audio output for connection to a pre-amp/amp or headphone amp with known DAC quality and bandwidth? S/PDIF? It seems so, by reading some comments here, but how is it done on the phone? Sorry for my ignorance.
Although we download 320 bit-rate files, how can we know if the material has been up-converted or not? Can we trust the file properties/ does 320 guarantee quality? I'll settle for lower rates with older recordings, which lack the dynamics of modern digital audio. What's the best source of quality MP3s where you can choose the rates?
If the S8 does have great DAC's and the analog out put is acceptable, any decent amp, whether connected to speakers or headphone should be good enough to satisfy the 'purist', right??
Thanks.
I've built several mostly high-end home audio speaker systems. When I do serious listening, it's only my main reference speakers (MTM/SUB) in my 18x25 media room, which has acoustic wall treatment. The speakers are tuned with EQ to the room and the result is very close to the artist's intention of presentation. That, which includes great imaging and flat response from sub-sonic to well beyond the upper limits, is my goal with dynamic speakers. Although headphones have perfect channel separation with wide response, are immune to environmental reflections and aren't affected by room boundaries, reflections, standing waves, etc...they have totally unrealistic imaging....Does the artist intend for the 'image' to be in the center of my head? No, but l do find it rewarding to listen to well recorded audio on great headphones with source headroom to spare as far as sampling/ bit rate goes.
I need some clarification or confirmation regarding source material and DAC regarding the S8. I do understand DAC. Basically, the digital (D) signal is converted (C) to Analog (A) so we can understand it and it can be amplified. The catch is, the end result can be no better than the source, regardless of format. We know there's lots of 'junk' out there. When I search for MP3s online, I try to find the highest bit-rate available. When I convert my digital audio to MP3, I choose the highest rates and don't care about file size.
My questions:
I understand Samsung purchased harmon/kardon and H-K technology is used in the S8, from what the salesman told me. Is this true? What I also can't seem to find an answer to is this: For those of us who are curious, can the S8 be configured for digital audio output for connection to a pre-amp/amp or headphone amp with known DAC quality and bandwidth? S/PDIF? It seems so, by reading some comments here, but how is it done on the phone? Sorry for my ignorance.
Although we download 320 bit-rate files, how can we know if the material has been up-converted or not? Can we trust the file properties/ does 320 guarantee quality? I'll settle for lower rates with older recordings, which lack the dynamics of modern digital audio. What's the best source of quality MP3s where you can choose the rates?
If the S8 does have great DAC's and the analog out put is acceptable, any decent amp, whether connected to speakers or headphone should be good enough to satisfy the 'purist', right??
Thanks.
